Mixed Signals
by AberrantScript
Summary: Lucy has been trying to tell her brother that she loves him for months. Unfortunately for her, he's as dense as a brick wall.


**Author's Notes:**

Auto's _Bound by Secrets _inspired me to write something with Lucycoln, finally, after all this time. I hope you guys enjoy it~

Disclaimer: _The Loud House_ Copyright Nickelodeon (2019)

* * *

MIXED SIGNALS

Lincoln was getting mixed signals lately.

It wasn't anything out of the ordinary; at least not in this family. Weird stuff was the norm. But sometimes weird just got a little too weird, he guessed.

The source of his conundrum was none other than Lucy Loud, his younger sister.

At thirteen years of age, she was already a published author of curious poems and had taken to wearing a headband Lincoln bought for her years ago. The beautiful accessory parted her bangs to reveal her stormy, blue-grey eyes, but it was a small price she paid to show off the token of affection Lincoln had given to her when she was upset.

The sixteen year old boy, though, seriously had a problem he simply couldn't solve.

Why was Lucy acting so weird lately?

Like, take evidence from exhibit A: she blushes every time Lincoln so much as touches her. Hug her? Blush. Brush her hand as he passes her the ketchup? Blush. This also extended to simple conversations.

"Hey, Lucy," he'd started one day, "That new dress looks nice. Did you make it yourself?"

Her face lit up like one of Lola's old pageant gowns and she stuttered out a nonsensical reply before hurrying out the room, clutching her book of poems tightly to her chest.

Like, what was up with that?

Now, let's look at exhibit B: Lucy had started a new ritual a few weeks ago. It was... astonishingly similar to how a cat brings dead mice to their owners. The gothic teen would pluck roses, dye them black, and tie a little poem to the stem. Lincoln would find these on his pillow every night.

At first, he let it continue because it was nice seeing Lucy express herself. But after two weeks of it, he had to address it.

So, he'd stepped into her shared room with Lynn, and caught the girl in the act of making another gift for her brother.

"Lucy, why are you making these for me?" he held on out, gesturing to the can of paint on the ground where Lucy was kneeling down.

She jumped in shock, completely engrossed in her work; in her surprise, she did the only thing she could... and literally tossed the paint through the open window and replied.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"_LUCY!_" screamed Lynn, "_Why did you throw your paint all of my new soccer uniform!?_"

"Sigh," the girl hung her head and stood up and, instead of replying to him, started pushing him from the room.

Her face was burning so badly, and Lincoln was so confused; but right as he exited, she gave him the final poetic rose.

Which led to exhibit C: why was Lucy practicing her marriage vows so early?

Of course, he knew why she chose him. Lincoln kept secrets, gave very helpful feedback, and was a general rock of support to his sisters.

But most of the poems she gave him were romantic, and some were borderline marriage proposals.

Like the last one: "_My love for you is like the stars in the night. You can't measure it with mortal sight. So, please accept my token; the affection it brings; And give me your own in the form of a ring._"

This finally brought him to the most troubling exhibit D: Lucy had her eyes on someone and was too scared to tell them.

She couldn't face up to getting caught doing little romantic gestures. She was being all blushy and skittish. And she was clearly too nervous around her brother anymore.

This wouldn't do, of course. She needed to know that he'd support her; that she could rely on him.

It was a troubling problem, and there was only one way to handle it.

Face it head on, as Lynn would say.

So that's how, one evening, Lincoln came to put all the roses in one box and take them all to Lucy.

She gasped as she opened her door to him.

"What a-are you doing with those?"

The poor thing looked scared and she was blushing again. That's exactly why he was doing this. So she wouldn't have to be nervous anymore.

"I've thought about this for awhile, Lucy."

"You... you have?"

"Yeah, and my answer is yes."

Lucy's hand fell from the door. Her mouth was agape. Her cheeks were scarlet red.

"You really mean that?"

A smile was growing on her face.

Lincoln smiled too, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Yep, these will work great on the person you want to woo."

"...what?"

Lincoln stepped into the room to sit the box on Lucy's bed.

"Oh yeah. They're very romantic. I'm sure whoever you intend these for is a lucky guy or gal."

"I-" Lucy stared down at the box, "I don't understand."

Lincoln shook his head and smiled wider.

"It's alright, Luce. You don't have to hide your secret anymore. I know you love someone and you want to marry them when you're old enough."

He put his arms around her stiff body and squeezed her.

"But just know that you can tell me anything, ok? I'm your big brother. I'm here to help you."

Lucy's arms just hung droopily as she sighed.

He let go of her and left the room, proud of another fulfilling day's work as a good brother.

Lucy turned to face her bed, and fell onto it.

Where she stayed, sighing, until Lynn walked in and poked her with a hockey stick to make sure she was still alive.

Lucy turned onto her back and stared lifelessly at the ceiling.

"What's got you mopier than usual, bat girl?"

"Sigh. I've been trying to tell a boy I like him for months, but he's too dense to understand my gestures."

Lynn hummed and sat down on her own bed, stripping herself down to the bare essentials (her lucky jockstrap).

"Boy troubles huh? Been there, done that. Well," she tossed her jersey onto the floor and slipped into a loose fitting numbuh one shirt, "if he's dense like a wall, then little poems and flowers won't cut it. You gotta go straight for the kill and tackle him down to the ground. He won't know what hit him and there's no way he can be dense about it then."

Lucy rose her upper body, her arms folded over her chest.

"Sigh. You really think that will work?"

Lynn grinned, "Trust me, Luce. Lincoln might be the," she used air quotations as she mockingly copied his squeaky teenage puberty voice, "girl guru... But I'm Doctor Love~"

From the distance, they could hear Luna jamming in the garage.

"_THEY CALL ME- THEY CALL ME DOCTOR LOVE-_"

Lynn rolled her eyes and laid down, throwing her sheets over her body. Closing her eyes, she herself sighed.

"Just be honest to him, Lucy. That way, win or lose, you can't say you were just a benchwarmer at the world series."

* * *

They'd just come back from school, and she knew he was unpacking his things, trying to unwind.

Plus, if she dumped the truth on him right now, he'd have plenty of time in the evening to run away, if he wanted...

Tell mom and dad that their daughter is a freak...

Lucy sighed.

She heard feet stepping toward the door, and she braced herself for interaction.

Soon his bright face was staring right into her bangs, straight into her eyes, and her breath caught.

"Can I help you, Lucy?"

His smile was so disarming. Was she melting? She was melting. She could feel it. Her legs were wobbly jello on the floor.

She shook herself mentally, and focused on what Lynn told her.

Be direct. Tell him how she feels. Don't be a quitter.

So, she looked him right into the eyes, reached out with a shaky hand to touch his arm, and told him exactly how she felt.

"Brother, I love you with all my soul."

Lincoln opened the door more, grabbed her hand, and pulled her into a bone crushing hug.

"I love you, too, Lucy. You're a very thoughtful sister."

The poor girl just sighed as her dense brother failed to see the writing on the wall once again, but then blushed as she slipped her hands around his waist and curled her body into his arms.

For a brick wall, he was soft and warm. Mmm~

The following day, Lucy decided to up her game.

She put on her sexiest gothic dress. A gloomy version of the "little black dress" with torn leggings and dark satin gloves. She marked her lips with raven lipstick.

She cornered her brother in the hallway, and stunning him, she grabbed his shoulders and slammed her lips against his mouth.

Lucy held him still for a few moments before releasing his lips from her.

And she smiled as she saw her onyx lips imprinted on his surprised mouth.

Finally, he'd understand that she-

"Ooooh, girls! We're giving Lincy kisses! Hurry up!" Leni called, taking some pink lipstick out of her watermelon purse and applying it.

"Do I have to?" Lana cried as Lola tackled her down.

"Remember Seymour?" Lola whispered, darkly.

The older twin cringed, and relented, and shivered as Lola applied cherry balm to her lips.

Lori and Luna came out of their rooms ready to go, but Luan started them off. By picking up Lily and giving her a quick kiss so she had some banana cream pie flavored lipstick on, and handing her off to Lincoln.

They made a show of it; nearly swarming him in a sea of sisterly affection, as they hugged on him, kissed him, reminded them how happy they were to have a brother such as him.

No one noticed when an extra-gloomy thirteen year old sulked back to her room, flopped on her bed, and sighed until Lynn came in and poked her once more.

So, finally, Lucy decided enough was enough. Her brother wasn't responding to normal romantic cues like he was supposed to.

But then, she remembered that he wasn't exactly normal. He was Lincoln, a very endearing and sexy boy... but also a huge dork.

So, the next day she snuck out of school early. No one ever noticed when she did that, so it wasn't a big deal on her part.

She entered his room and began her search.

Lucy sat down on his bed and looked underneath the mattress. And sure enough, they were waiting there.

A box full of pristine comics featuring hot superhero babes.

She kept scrolling, casually admiring the strength and general lack of clothing most of them had. Until she found one in particular, and her little, dark smile lit up.

It took some time and effort to pull everything off, but when it was finally done, Lucy simply couldn't be happier. Unless it worked on Lincoln; then, she'd be walking on cloud nine.

* * *

Lucy was fidgeting as she laid on Lincoln's bed.

Her bare legs were chilly, but her heart was pounding.

This had to work. It just had to!

She grew deathly still as the door slowly opened.

There he was, strolling in and tossing his bag onto his chair.

He shucked off his belt and his pants dropped.

He spun and threw his shirt in the air.

He was suddenly holding a comic in his hands and turned toward the bed.

And both siblings froze; just staring dead at each other's face.

"A-azarath metrion zinthos?"

Her cheeks were burning. Half of her body was covered in her deep purple cape. The rest was exposed or clothed in a dark leotard.

"L-Lucy, what are you-"

She was staring at his comic, noticing the nearly nude superhero girls on the cover.

Lincoln blushed and hid it behind his back.

"I-it's for research, I swear."

Her eyes didn't believe him, and her deeper flush spoke volumes.

"W-what are you doing here anyway? Why are you-" he gulped as he eyed her body, "dressed like Raven?"

Lucy sat up and watched him. She got her breathing under control before patting the bed beside her.

Her brother slowly approached and sat down.

Him in his underwear; her in a costume.

"Lincoln," she started, "I've been trying to get your attention for months, but everything I did either backfired, didn't work, or miscommunicated what I wanted to say."

Her hand touched his leg, and the boy shivered.

"I love you, brother. I've tried writing it down, but mortal words cannot express the things I feel for you."

"Lucy," he smiled, touching her arm, "I love you-"

"No," she stopped him, "I don't just love you as a sister, Lincoln."

His eyes frowned as if she'd just hurt him.

"Luce, I-I don't understand, you don't-"

"Sigh," her hands grabbed his face, "Just shut up and listen to me."

And with that, she pushed her lips on his mouth, holding him close as the minutes passed.

And when he tried to pull away, she leaned toward him; both falling to the bed with her lips still firmly planted on his.

She pulled away, smiling down at him, admiring how her raven black lipstick painted his own lips.

"Do I have your attention now?"

His mouth flopped like a fish, so he nodded instead.

"Good," she laid her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tight, "I love you, Lincoln. I love you more than my own words can say, and… and I hope you'll love me, too."

Lincoln started chuckling; a pleasant vibration under her body.

"R-really? Y-you- No way. I was the boy you wrote all those poems for?"

Lucy lifted her head up to look at him with her stormy eyes.

"Obviously. I even hid them in your bedroom just for you."

Lincoln's arms wrapped around her.

"You… don't know how relieved I feel hearing this. I've," he saw her eyebrow quirk curiously, "been jealous for so long, but I pushed it down to be a supportive brother to you."

"Lincoln," her hands were nearly shaking like a leaf, "W-what are you saying?"

His hand stroked her cheek, his thumb brushing her lip by accident.

"I love you, too, Lucy. I have for years. I was waiting until you were older, but then you were getting interested in boys, and I figured it'd be best if I help you find love and just move on myself."

Lucy gave a long-suffering sigh and laid her head back on her brother's chest.

"You're an idiot, Lincoln."

His hands stroked her hair gently; his lips couldn't smile any wider.

"Yeah, but you love me anyway, right?"

He could feel her smile pressing against his chest.

"With all my soul."


End file.
